Varus Wreckpoint's page

They can, there's a level 6 feat for that.

The map at the beginning of the rotating gear gazetteer is wrong in several ways. At the very least, Dongun Hold/ Quantium and the Shackles are marked in the wrong place, and apparently a lot of the other locations are wrong as well.

I think generally they avoid including feats that exist for multiple classes already in the playtests so as to get more feedback on the new material. I'd be very surprised if Conceal Spell wasn't on the final psychic's feat list.

Honestly, it sounds like maybe your table is implementing some rules wrong.
Are you using any variant rules?
Three (apparently, mostly two) lvl 11 characters able to defeat a lvl 15 monster without much issue? That should be extremely unlikely by the rules.

As for the explosive arrows, I'm assuming based on the damage that they were using greater ones (which, lvl 13, they probably shouldn't have access to yet):
They do 10d6 damage, so average 35. 4 enemies, so, assuming they all fail, 140 damage per arrow. Twice, so 280. They'd either have to almost max roll damage on both, or all the enemies would have to crit fail their saves on both (or some combo of the two). I could see that happening if they are using items above their level on mooks a few levels below them, though.
If they're using the basic arrows, it's theoretically possible to do that much damage, but given that the DC will be falling behind per level, they'd need nutty luck to get that damage.

In order to know how they should rate up against the rest of the party, we'd have to know what the rest of the party are. AC should be comparable, better than fighters/barbarians, worse than champions. Their saves should be slightly better, they've just got a bump, but not so high it should be a problem hitting them.

Well, yes, except that the first one contained some fraction of the essence of an extremely evil god. They don't really have any reason not to think that there might be something similar in all of them.

I'm fully expecting for their curiosity to get the better of them, and for them to head through eventually.

And, honestly, if they do so before Heuberk even turns up, that will kind of solve some of the issues I've got. My problem is that Heuberk turns up, gives them additional motivation to go after the Scarlet Triad, but with no clear link to the next portal.

Apart from some awkward, meta-level, the-portal's-obviously-the-next-hook-ness, why shouldn't they head off to Kintargo first.

I suppose I'm mostly struggling how to re-frame the staggering coincidence that AFAIK Laslunn has no idea about Dreamgate, happens to be based in the nearest major city to its exit, and has sent an agent just as they have obtained the key.

I think that Deadmanwalking is right, and the best bit is to have Laslunn be looking for the exit of Dreamgate, and to have one of Heuberk's tasks be to try and obtain the key if the PCs have it.

To be clear, I don't think there's any chance they're not going to want to track down the Scarlet Triad. Between existing character motivations, and the fact that I'm intending for Heuberk to kidnap an NPC they care about, I'm pretty sure they'll take the bait.

I'm just worried they'll walk/sail to Kintargo.

Having Heuberk have something on him that points to the portal is probably the best way to go, but that's sort of how I was intending to lead into Book 4, given there's a similar lack of motivation there. Although, maybe I need it less for that book, given that Dreamgate not immediately attempting to murder them will probably make them more willing to explore.

So I'm running Age of Ashes, and my party is currently doing downtime things after finishing Book 2.
I'm wondering if I'm missing something that gives them a strong incentive to go through the second portal, using Eclipse.
It's not that they're unmotivated, character backstory's etc. give them a strong reason to want to go after the Scarlet Triad.
It's just that after Hauberk turns up and does his thing, I can see two possible scenarios:
a) They find out he's being ordered around from Kintargo. They then have motivation to get to Kintargo, but no reason to know that taking the portal will get them there.
b) They don't find out where he's getting orders from. Plot stalls until they decide to poke the second portal out of pure curiosity. At which point, what coincidence, this portal leads straight to that random guys boss!

Slightly complicating matters is that they almost died going through the first portal, so I think they might be a bit relucatant to start poking the next one without plot reasons.

I'm also already intending to have the Eye of the Wise not being in the possession of Laslunn, but to instead be in the possession of a scarlet triad agent sent to infiltrate the citadel in order to find the Jewelgate exit, to try and break up the whole beat bosss -> get key -> find out what next boss is up to pattern.

Does anyone have any suggestions/insight into how I can work the portal in more organically?
Thanks

I see the slide casting synthesis as being the unarmed synthesis. I do agree that Magus, especially where it appears to be now in terms of power level, should probably get a first level feat.

It's not 100% clear, but probably it should only require sustaining once it has discharged.
Going strictly by RAW, given you actually cast the spell when you put it in your weapon, if you don't then discharge it your turn, and instead discharge it the next turn, you may well have to then sustain it on that same turn to get it to last.
Definitely room for some clarification there, though.
Given magus action econonmy issues, it's probably not worth using until you've got Effortless Concentration.

Additional ways to get crit specialisations for an investigator:

Mauler Archetype

Archer Archetype

Viking Archetype (Viking weapon specialization feat)

Owlbear Claw (Talisman)

Hold Mark (Orc feat)

Turbine Rowe Lumberjack (Axe thrower feat)

Martial Artist Archetype (Brawling focus feat)

So, based on the Lost Omens World guide:
Obviously everything outside of the inner sea is pretty sparsely covered.
Of the regions in the guide, the Impossible Lands (Geb/Nex/Alkenstar) haven't had much, although I wouldn't hold out hope for much on Alkenstar.

I'd always love to see more Numeria.

I don't think the 6 core ancestries is a big theme, per se. I think it's more that they wanted to show a bit of all 6.

Dragonic Sorceror is a great choice, but so is the Dragon Instinct Barbarian.

Alseta is a very relevant choice for a religious character. She's not in the player's guide because the book she was detailed in came out later.

If I was doing a group of PCs, I'd go with:

Elf/Halfelf Haunting Vision Cleric of Alseta
Dwarf Dragon Scholar Dragon Barbarian
Halfling Emancipated Thief/Monk Rogue
Human Truth Seeker Wizard (the local)

Also, I don't think that weapons with the [two-hand] trait will work with grasping reach, RAW. The text of the feat says "When you wield a melee weapon that requires two hands". [two-hand] weapons don't require two hands.

This is great!
I have one question though - in TABLE 2–11: SPELL DC AND SPELL ATTACK ROLL, the spell DCs = corresponding spell attack roll + 8.
For PCs (AFAIK), spell DCs = spell attack roll + 10. (Core rulebook, pf 298)
Is this intentional?
Thanks!

Jistkan Artificer! Bad-ass golem arm all the way.